Grand Finale
by DawnRaindrop
Summary: "Till Death do us part." ... Or does it, really? Slight GrayLu. Oneshot AU: Takes place before Oración Seis arc.


**Grand Finale**

_A/N: Woah... It's my first Fairy Tail fic! This fanfiction is based on an AMV done by MoonlessNight126 on YouTube. I'll provide the link/name of the video at the bottom of this fic cause it contains spoilers. :) The story takes place just before the Oración Seis arc. Hope you'll enjoy the story!  
__Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters._

* * *

The drops of rain poured down upon everyone in Fairy Tail. The atmosphere was heavy with It would have seemed that the gloomy skies were weeping along with them.

"_Why are you crying?"_

She spotted the stone erected before her darkly clothed comrades. She walked past all of them towards it, and then she turned to face them, bewilderment etched in her features.

"_Everyone… What happened?"_

No one looked up. No one acknowledged her presence. Frowning, she scanned the crowd. Everyone… Even Loke was there. _He and his forced summons._ She thought with a small smile, in spite of the look of anguish on his face.

She walked over to Levy, whose blue hair was drenched and limp. She repeated the only question she held in her mind, only getting a louder sob in reply. Puzzlement filled her. _What's wrong?_

Then, she spotted Gray.

"_Gray! Can you tell me what's wrong? Who… Who died?"_ She asked, choking out the last word. She didn't want any one in her guild to die. She wasn't even sure she wanted to know.

His jet-black hair obscured his face. He didn't even bother looking up. _"Gray! Even you…!"_

"Lucy…" He murmured, his voice tight.

"_Gray…?"_

He walked forward, brushing past her as he did so. He bowed and placed a crimson colored rose before the stone.

"Lucy… I swear that no matter how long it takes… I will find him," He said as he stood before the stone, clenching his fists until his knuckles turned white.

_Find… Find who?_

"I will find him," He repeated more firmly. "And avenge you."

Lucy frowned. _Why would you want to avenge me? I mean, I'm right here. It's not like anything happened to me or something…_

"Gray-sama…" Juvia joined him, gently putting a rose alongside Gray's. She then tentatively placed a hand on his shoulder. He acknowledged her presence, if only slightly.

Gray stalked back to where he was previously standing, next to Erza. Lucy probably would have tried to get answers out from her, if she hadn't known better. The others followed Gray's lead and solemnly placed red roses before the stone as well.

Lucy watched them in silence, gripping the hem of her blouse. She hadn't a sliver of an idea about what was happening. Something itched at the back of her mind, she couldn't tell what.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU ALL THINK YOU'RE DOING?"

Lucy turned around in response, giving a wide smile despite the gloomy atmosphere. "Natsu…!"

She hurried towards him as he stormed to the front. Then, she froze. Natsu had walked right through her. He walked towards the stone and kicked the red roses away, ignoring the protests of some. She stood stock still, staring at the red roses that fell to the ground dramatically, scattering their red petals across the ground.

Natsu turned to face his guild. "Instead of weeping and mourning, we should all be looking for her! She's out there!"

"Wake up, Natsu!" Gray yelled, motioning towards Natsu, his dark blue eyes glinting with fury.

"She isn't dead!" The dragon slayer cried out, as two people stepped out to hold him down. "She can't be dead! How can she be-"

"She is!" Gray interrupted his outburst before dropping his volume, "I know she is."

"Lucy…" He repeated her name, "Lucy is dead!"

* * *

_I… I'm dead?_ She thought as she fell to her knees, her eyes widening in shock. She looked towards the tombstone, seeing the words engraved on it clearly for the first time.

"_Here Lies Lucy Heartfilia"_

_No… It's not true… Tell me it's not true…_

* * *

"_Come on, Lucy. Let's head out on a mission together."_

_I nodded, glancing at the ice mage. "What about Natsu and Erza though? They're still on their own separate missions."_

"_That's why we'll take on this one by ourselves. You need to pay your rent, don't you?"_

_I froze. _Crap! I had almost forgotten about it…!

_I turned to him, nodding almost immediately, earning a smirk from Gray._

* * *

"_This body… This voice… This power… It's all so nostalgic."_

"_G-Gray…" I whispered as I stared at the person before us._

"_I know… The villagers didn't inform us about him."_

_Zero launched his first attack. Gray used his ice make to mold a shield to block the attack. While Gray grunted with effort, I watched as the shield was whittled down quickly, sending him flying backwards._

_Zero advanced slowly and surely. I knew I should do something. I had to do something… My hands clasped together, I swallowed slowly. _Move! _I told myself. _Move, damn it!

"_No…" I breathed as hot tears welled up in my eyes._ I'm scared…!

_My eyes widened as I felt the air knocked out of my lungs. I lost my contact with the ground. I was nearly knocked unconscious. I could still hear Zero in a distance._

"_You aren't dead yet, are you two brats?" Zero yelled ecstatically. He was only getting started. "I CAN STILL SEE YOUR BODIES!"_

Run… Gray…_ I thought, as I tried to open my eyes, blood flowing from my forehead hindering my vision. He didn't move. The most horrible thought crossed my mind. I could feel the tears that were threatening to flow. I couldn't bear the thought of…_

Think, Lucy, think! _I thought to myself, racking my brains for ideas. There hadn't seemed a chance of me being able to defeat Zero by myself, especially with Gray down._

_There was only one option left._

_Gritting my teeth, I gripped the remains of a wall for support as I hauled myself up. I picked up my ring of keys._

"Open, the Gate of the Lion! Leo_!" I muttered._

* * *

_I gripped my hands tightly. I will not shake. I will not tremble. I will not cry…!_

"_I'm your opponent, Zero!" I shrieked, hoping to draw his attention._

_Watching as the white-haired opponent turn to face me, regarding me with his red eyes, I looked to Loke for confirmation. I had just relayed the plan to him._

"_Lucy…" The Lion spirit hesitated, regarding me with concern._

_I gave him a wide reassuring grin. "I will be alright!"_

_He wasn't that sure of it, but he did as his master had wished. I pulled out my whip and joined the fray. All I needed was that small window of time…_

"_O Regulus… Grant me your strength! Lion Brilliance!" Loke shouted, taking a stance, enveloping the area with light, blinding Zero momentarily._

_With no time to lose, I addressed Loke, "Take the keys from him when he returns to Fairy Tail, all right? Find… Find all of them a good master."_

_Loke gripped his fists, knowing he did not have much time left. He also knew there was no turning back now. He hugged me tightly. I returned it gratefully and thanked him._

"_Forced gate closure," I murmured as I watched Loke fade into the light._

_I summoned Horologium, instructing him on what to do. Regulus' light won't last very long now… I had to act quickly. With the little strength I had left, I handed Gray to Horologium. I opened Gray's fist, closing it around my ring of keys._

_I gave Horologium a quick nod and he turned to run. Then, I caught a glimpse of Gray regaining consciousness. I heaved a sigh of relief. He's okay… _I'm so glad…

" '_Lucy! Let me out!', he says!" Horologium called out, albeit softly, knowing the situation._

_I pulled my whip taut, facing Zero again, a look of sheer determination on my face. This will all depend on how long I last._

"_It's just you and me now, Zero."_

* * *

Lucy inhaled deeply as the memories of her last moments returned to her. Her clenched fist moved over to her chest as she watched her comrades mourn over her demise.

"_Stop. Don't cry any longer…! I chose this route myself…"_ Lucy tried to call out to them.

"Juvia misses Lucy-san, she made a good friend…"

_Juvia…_

"I'm sorry… I couldn't protect my master once again…"

_Loke, no, I…_

"I have only known her for a few months… But our bonds were strong. I'll… We'll all miss her dearly."

_I chose this, Erza…_

"I wasn't strong enough to keep her safe… Just like how my parents and Ur…"

_Stop it, Gray…_

"Lucy can't be dead...!"

_Natsu-_

"LUCYYYY!"

_Stupid cat! It's not like I want this…_

She bowed lower, glaring at the stone through her blonde bangs, tears flowing freely from her eyes. Everyone's sobs rang in her ears, but only she alone could hear her own cry of anguish.

_I don't want this!_

* * *

"We should head to Acalypha to inform her father…" Erza stated calmly as she stepped out of Lucy's bathroom, her scarlet bangs positioned strategically to hide her swollen eyes.

The four of them had decided to crash her apartment, again. After that long bout of weeping by all five of them, they seemed to have lost their voices. The rest of the night went on in silence. Natsu and Gray didn't fight at all.

It would seem… That spirits needn't eat nor sleep. She watched them the whole time, her heart had panged every time one of them looked like they were in pain. "_Did I cause them this pain?"_ She asked herself.

The other three agreed with Erza and silently took turns using the bathroom.

Lucy furrowed her eyebrows as she looked at them. _Please… Move on with life…_

Gray entered the bathroom after Natsu stepped out from it, heading for Lucy's desk. He pulled out the drawer that contained all her story drafts.

_W-Wait a minute…!_ She thought, a blush stretching across her cheeks.

"This one's still unfinished, huh?" Natsu muttered to Happy, who hopped onto the desk.

Lucy walked over to Natsu, curious.

"It's too bad, really… I really wanted to know how this one turned out," He said with a bitter smile, looking at the stack of drafts.

"Aye."

Her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. _Don't tell me that all this while… He's been reading my drafts?_

"Let's go, Natsu," Gray said as he came out of the bathroom. "Don't keep Erza waiting."

Natsu nodded in response, carelessly setting the drafts on the desktop.

"_Geez, that Natsu," _Lucy said, nearly affectionately as she reached to keep her drafts back in her desk drawer.

Her fingers swiped through her drafts, as if she wasn't made of matter. _That's right… I'm not._

_Not anymore, anyway._

* * *

"No… It can't be…" She watched her father, his voice barely audible.

Her father… Despite how much she detested him for whatever he had done to her, all in the name of monetary gain, her heart still ached when all color drained from his face.

_Father…_

"First Layla… Now Lucy too…"

She glanced at her friends. Happy was hiding behind Natsu's right leg, gripping it tightly, burying his face into the folds of cloth.

"No… Return my daughter to me…" Her father said softly, clawing the soft soil of the ground. "Return me my daughter! She was all I had left!"

Father gripped Gray by the collar as he rose to his full height again. His eyes were full of sorrow. Gray didn't meet his eyes, choosing to look away, gritting his teeth as he did.

"_It wasn't his fault, Father!"_ Lucy tried to grab her father's arm, but as usual, she phased straight through it.

She stared at her hands as Natsu and Erza tried to calm her father down. She will always remain this helpless… Ultimately, she couldn't make a difference… All she brought was sorrow and pain.

"_No… You did make a difference."_

Lucy turned around to find her mother, dressed rather simply. Different from how she usually saw her, in her elegant robes.

"_Mother…"_

"_My dear Lucy… You're a brave child,"_ She whispered as she embraced her daughter. _"In the very end, you did. It was only because you did make a difference, that you have made such loyal comrades."_

* * *

"… I'm home," Gray muttered as he slammed open the door, groaning when he heard a shatter of glass.

He turned to close the door, more gently than he opened it. He walked over to the desk and frowned. This hadn't been where he remembered placing the picture. Gray bent over to pick up the fallen picture, deciding that he had no use for the frame itself. He winced when a shard of glass cut his finger.

He glanced at the photograph. _Oh._

_It's the one of the guild, with Lucy in it._

Placing the picture on the desk, he plopped down on the bed. _Argh! It's been nearly a month and the guild is acting just like when Lisanna had died._

The guild had taken the liberty of avoiding the mention of Lucy as much as possible, believing it to be a sore spot for Natsu, Happy, Erza and him. It was, without a doubt, a bad idea considering it meant that they were running away from the fact that Lucy had died, acting as if Lucy had never existed.

"Lucy…" He murmured as he clenched his fist. "Why couldn't I protect her? Even with my magic… Even now, I couldn't protect someone I cared about."

* * *

"O-Oy. Gray! What are you doing?" Natsu questioned as he crashed the apartment.

Gray glared at him. He was picking up the same kind of irritation that Lucy felt whenever one of them crashed her apartment. He had curiously decided to move into this apartment. He didn't change much of the layout. In fact, he practically left everything the way it was.

It had been a month since that day… Lucy had been glad to see that her guild was returning to its usual pace. The smiles slowly returned to her comrades' faces. She had to thank Natsu and Gray for that. Their antics were usually the trigger of any fight. Fights loosened them up. It honestly did.

If anything at all, Gray's smiles were not as they used to be. It worried her, as it had worried Juvia. Lucy had noted that he had blamed her death on himself. To him, her death was his failure to protect someone he had loved.

She sighed. If only Gray could learn from Natsu to express his frustration and take it out on objects instead of keeping it to himself…

"I'm going to look for Zero," Gray stated simply. "Master had found a lead on him."

Lucy snapped to attention. _"Lucy… I swear that no matter how long it takes… I will find him." No. Does he really plan on upholding that…?_

"This isn't someone you can beat alone, Gray…" Natsu frowned, folding his arms.

_Yes. Natsu, stop him!_

"You can't stop me, Natsu. I already swore upon Lucy's grave that will hunt him down."

Natsu gave a toothy grin. "I never said I was going to stop you."

Lucy's face fell. Those two…

Gray smirked and reached his hand out towards Natsu and Happy, the three of them forming a team.

_Please don't do this…_

* * *

He wiped the blood from his mouth. This guy seemed nigh unbeatable. Whatever Gray tried, Zero just blocked it. He took a deep breath as he thought about his next move.

"You're a foolish brat. Just like that foolish Celestial Spirit Mage brat that gave her life for you to escape," Zero grinned.

His eyes flashed with fury. "Don't you dare refer to Lucy like that! … _Ice Make: Geyser_!"

He watched as Zero became caught in his magic, then he took his chance. He leapt towards Zero, ice forming from the back of his forearms.

"YAAAAARGHH!" He yelled as he rained down attacks on Zero.

Finishing his move, he jumped back a few steps, announcing the technique he just used, "_Ice Make: Seven Slice Dance_!"

He heard a gasp of pain from Zero. _He wasn't down yet, but I got him-_

Then, something flung him to a side, causing him to crash into the wall. "Gak!"

"All you stupid Fairies…" Zero grunted.

Gray lay on the ground. He winced in pain, staring at the ceiling. He was in a daze. His vision was blurry, the pain from the wound he took to his side was fading. Did he have to use Iced Shell to counter this man?

"_I didn't want you to die, so I stopped you back then."_

_No… I swore that I won't… Dammit! What can I do now?_

"_-ray! … Gray!"_

_Lucy?_ He thought. _Are you alive? No… I must be dead now…_

"_Gray! You have to get up!"_ Lucy's voice resounded in his head. _"Get up! Move!"_

He motioned to seal his open wounds with his magic, but the hold of the ice was weak. _Seems like I'm dangerously low on magical power…_

"_Don't waste the life I died saving!"_

He felt someone grab him by his shoulders. Someone was trying to pull him up, although there was no strength in the pull whatsoever. It was faint, but he could make out something. Then, his eyes widened as he jolted up. "Lucy?"

Yes, it was her. The contours of her face, her blonde hair… Then, she lunged towards him, wrapping her arms around him. He could feel her presence, her touch. She settled back down and beaming warmly. _"I'm glad…"_

"… Lu-" He could feel them, her lips on his. The contrast in temperature between his face and the surroundings was evident. _W-What is she doing?_

"_I'm transferring whatever Eternano I've gathered so far to you."_

When he was still in the state of shock, he could only look on in horror as Lucy's image dissipated before him.

"Lucy…!"

* * *

"_So all the spirits remain on Earthland?"_

_Mother smiled gently at me. "Do you remember what I told you about The One Magic?"_

"_The root of all magic…"_

"_What do you think it is?"_

_I looked towards the sky, to my mother, then to my father, who was returning to his apartment, looking like a mess. "It's _love_, isn't it?"_

"_It is love that keeps spirits grounded to Earthland. When spirits still have attachments to Earthland, they remain here. They wait for the day that their loved ones return to their side."_

"_Then… What happens to them after they are freed?"_

"_We become the magic source."_

* * *

Gray grimaced as he sealed his wounds using Ice Make. He clenched and unclenched his right fist a few times. It wasn't much, but…

_I receive it with my utmost gratitude, Lucy._

"_Dark Delete_!"

"_Ice Make: Shield_!" Gray yelled, knowing well enough it wouldn't be enough to hold it off.

Gray watched as his shield was pushed back, with a grinning Zero standing before it, bombarding it with his spheres of darkness. _Good. He's distracted._ Gray took the chance.

Aiming it at the back of his opponent, Gray muttered, "_Ice Make: Super Freeze Arrow_!"

Gray smirked, triumphant. Zero had noticed it a second too late.

Then, he lost his smile. His ice arrow had plunged into the ground. Zero was gone. _… Shit! _He thought, turning around quickly.

"I hadn't expected a decoy, I'll admit. It was a good attempt," Zero stated, his voice booming.

Thinking fast, Gray formed the ice blades from his forearms again. With such close proximity, it should be easier to land a blow on him. He slashed at the man seven times in quick succession.

"_Ice Make: Seven Slice Dance_."

Gray finished it, landing on one knee, and took a deep breath. He turned to face Zero again, wanting to confirm if his attack had any effect.

"_Dark Capriccio_."

"Gurk!"

"As I have said, 'it was a good attempt'."

Gray stared in horror as warm red liquid spurted from his torso, coming from a wound formed by a bright green light. He dropped to his knees, the initial excruciating pain numbed quickly by his body. His breathing became more rapid, inhaling sharply each time.

He looked at the ground, his vision blurring. _So that's how I'll die, huh? I had hoped it was more honorable, maybe like Ur. But then again, Ur wasn't really dead._

"I'll kill you the same way I did with that blonde Celestial Spirit Mage."

_That's honorable too, I suppose._ He tasted the blood as it flowed out from his lips. _Dad, mom… Lucy… I'll be seeing you soon enough._

"_Genesis Zero_."

* * *

"Natsu!"

Natsu tried to hold in the surge of nausea, covering his mouth. _That idiot Stripper…_

"Hap…py…" He muttered in response to his friend's call.

He felt a tug at his shirt as he was pulled up and out from the treacherous boat. As soon as he was airborne, the nausea receded.

"Thanks, Happy," He managed a grin.

"What's wrong with Gray?" Happy grumbled. "He encased me in a block of ice! And then trapped you on the boat!"

"He plans on handling Zero himself," Natsu stated. It wasn't that difficult to guess his motives.

"Come on, Happy. Let's catch up with him before he gets in a mess!"

"Aye!"

* * *

Lucy cried. She couldn't have felt any more helpless than she had felt then.

"_I'll kill you the same way I did with that blonde Celestial Spirit Mage."_

"_GRAY!" I cried out, watching as his body crumpled after Zero used Dark Capriccio._

"_Genesis Zero_."

She watched as Gray became enveloped by the black phantoms, the very same that attacked her. She had launched herself at Zero, hoping to at least bring the man's attention away from Gray. She grimaced as she phased straight through him.

* * *

"_Spirits have Ethereal abilities. We do not have something to contain Eternano within us, we take it straight from the atmosphere. With sufficient Eternano, we can communicate with those we hold dear. The connection isn't strong, but it is sufficient."_

"_What about non-magic spirits? They can do the same right?"_

_Mother looked sadly at me. "As with their living selves, they are unable to manipulate the Eternano effectively. In fact, not every mage is able to manifest such abilities. Perhaps the more proficient one is at magic when they were living, the more likely one can manifest them."_

"… _Mother, have you ever tried talking to Father?"_

_I was startled when I saw tears forming in my mother's eyes._

"_Forgive me for not appearing before the two of you at all… I feared it might have estranged the two of you further…" She murmured. "I really wanted to…"_

* * *

Lucy had transferred as much of it as she could to Gray, hoping it would serve him well. She was wrong. It could only extend his lifespan by so much.

"_I'm sorry, Uncle and Aunty…"_ Lucy murmured, not even daring to look up at the couple.

"_It's alright, dearie_. _We're glad to be able to watch Gray grow up, and meet you_," Mrs Fullbuster smiled at Lucy.

Lucy turned red, which was weird, considering she was just a spirit now. "_What do you mean?_"

"_You'll find out soon enough. Now, it is our turn to leave. Take care of Gray for us… Until the both of you are ready…_"

She watched as the two started to fade away, their smiles seemed bittersweet. _Please have a chance to talk to Gray again…_

Lucy took advantage of her ability to phase through matter and scoured through the rubble that Zero left behind. Then, she remembered. The aftermath of Genesis Zero: no body of the target will be left. Just like how no one could find her body.

"_No body for the victim's loved ones to bury_," She murmured. _Oh, Gray…_

"_Other than Fairy Tail, I don't have anyone else I love on the living plane_."

Lucy turned around, hearing the familiar voice.

"_G-Gray_…" She gasped.

He walked towards her slowly and hugged her, his signature smirk marred with sadness. At that moment, Lucy realized how much she had missed Gray, how much she had missed being human.

"_Long time no see._"

* * *

"OY! STRIPPER!" Natsu shouted into the distance, getting increasingly impatient.

He could detect Gray's scent, but it wasn't as strong as before, and there was definitely no sign of any battle. He grinned. _Maybe he got lost…?_

He continued plowing through the thicket, following Gray's scent, confident that he will catch up with the ice mage somehow.

He finally stopped when he reached a fortress-looking piece of architecture. Natsu glanced around. Parts of the fortress had been crumbling down, although he was not too eager to look for other entrances. Gray's scent had stopped here.

"Eh… Happy, how do you think he got in to the building?" Natsu questioned the cat.

"No clue."

"Man," Natsu muttered. "Oy Lucy, get Virgo out here and dig a way through or something!"

The silence that followed pulled him back to reality. His expression changed, remembering the death of his comrade.

"Natsu…" Happy muttered before sprouting his wings and grabbed hold of Natsu again, lifting him up.

He flew over the boundaries easily and dropped Natsu down.

"Gray probably crossed it like this?" Happy offered.

Natsu grinned. "Guess he managed to put his ice magic to use."

* * *

Lucy observed as Gray transformed from someone genuinely concerned about the wellbeing of his comrade, to someone threatening to freeze and potentially kill the very same person.

"_Managed to put my ice magic to use? What are you implying, you stupid Flamehead_?" Gray yelled at Natsu, who obviously remained oblivious to the death threats sent his way.

Although, Lucy noted, Natsu did sneeze once or twice. Then, she felt the same sense of urgency she had when she first followed Gray to this place. Natsu needed to get out of here, fast. As strong as Lucy knew he was, there was no way Natsu could possibly defeat Zero by himself. Gray, who was probably on par to Natsu in terms of strength, couldn't defeat him either.

"_Gray_," She stated clearly. "_We have a lot of work to do_."

* * *

"Who are you?" Natsu demanded, sensing the presence in the vicinity.

He glared at the white-haired man advancing towards him. "Where's Gray?"

The stranger grinned maniacally at him. "Never heard of him. If he's lucky, then I've never met him either."

"What do you mean?" Happy asked as Natsu kept his distance from the man.

There was something amiss. The smell on this man… It was very familiar. But Natsu have never met this man before. That means…

"You're Zero, aren't you?" He growled, igniting both of his fists.

"How clever, Fairy Tail mage."

Natsu charged at him, baring his teeth.

"_Dark Delete_!"

His eyes widened as the spheres were fired at him rapidly, forcing him to retreat. The attack had not stopped, so Natsu decided it was time for the counterattack. He inhaled deeply, then he expelled a stream of fire, forming it into a fireball.

"_Fire Dragon's Roar_!"

* * *

"_Everyone misses you_."

Lucy stared hard at the particles she was gathering, scrunching her face up in concentration. "_I know. I've been with all of you all these while._"

"_So you know everything?_" Gray questioned, his voice sounding different. _"Even…_"

Lucy looked up to find Gray hiding his face by looking away. It did nothing to hide his red ears. She grinned. "_Yes_. _I never knew you were that… Philosophical._"

"_Oy! I always have been!_"

Lucy glanced at him, before quickly looking away, choosing to compress the particles as she replied him. "_I would have taken you more seriously if you hadn't stripped again._"

"_Ah!_" He cried out in surprise.

She couldn't resist a chuckle. Even as a spirit, he hasn't lost it. He didn't seem as affected as she had been.

"_Fire Dragon's Roar_!"

A drop of sweat trickled down her temple. She had to hurry.

* * *

"LUCY!" The cat ran towards her in tears.

Her heart ached seeing him like this. Happy had been the one who cried to no end during her funeral. Gray and her gathered enough Eternano to speak with Happy, at the very least. She hugged Happy as tightly as she could, noting that she hadn't enough to maintain contact.

"_Save the happy reunion for later, guys,_" Gray cut in, his voice urgent.

Lucy gazed at the hole Natsu had fallen into. Even Natsu hadn't managed to land a hit on the man. Both of them knew one person was not enough to defeat Zero. So, they will have to help him in their own way.

She looked at Happy, who nodded earnestly, eager to help Natsu in any way he could.

"_I don't suppose you know any Flame Magic spells_…?" She asked him sheepishly. She had forgotten about that particular part of plan. How stupid of her.

* * *

Zero had not sustained a single scratch from his attack just now, whereas Natsu could not say the same for himself. He gritted his teeth, he had been hit by several of those spheres, draining him of his energy. This man was fast, perhaps he could even match Natsu in speed.

"Where's Gray?" Natsu yelled.

"If you are referring to a dark-haired ice mage, he's dead."

"_He's dead."_ That statement resounded in Natsu's head.

"Don't lie," He told Zero, his voice dangerously low. "Gray… Gray couldn't have."

"It's up to you to decide whether I'm telling the truth," Zero stated, taking a stance. "He was strong, but he met his match."

_No… He couldn't have…_

"Oh, I was generous. I did him a service. I killed him the same way I did that blonde girl. Seeing as how you're from the same guild, you could die the same way. It makes things easier to clean up afterwards."

Natsu's eyes bulged as he took in the information. _That could only mean… Gray and Lucy… Both of them…_

"You bastard…" He snarled.

He enveloped himself in flames, speeding towards Zero as he roared in anger, "_Fire Dragon's Sword Horn_!"

Zero smirked, raising a hand before him, "_Dark Capriccio_!"

Natsu's eyes widened as he saw beams of green light forming at Zero's palm. He turned quickly to avoid it, skidding across the arena as he tried to slow himself down. The first attack had not hit him, but it wasn't over. It previously had a form of a drill, penetrating its target. But now… It was used as a whip.

Zero lashed out at him, laughing like a lunatic. Natsu dodged them, thinking up his next move. Then, he stopped. Natsu glared at him. _What exactly is he up to now?_

"_Dark Capriccio_!" He said again.

The beam headed straight for Natsu. Acting fast, he willed his arm to burst into flames. "_Fire Dragon's Iron Fist_!"

"Ngghhh!" Natsu grunted as he countered the force of Zero's attack, being pushed back several feet.

The onslaught finally stopped, causing Natu's shoulders to droop with fatigue. He gasped for air as he recovered himself.

"Stopping a magic designed for penetration head-on… Very interesting, Dragon Slayer," Zero smirked before he dropped to the ground, "_Dark Gravity_!"

Natsu was slammed against the ground, his weight bearing down on him, crushing him, even. He grunted as he tried in vain to get up. Then, the ground around him collapsed. The sensation of falling was evident, before he landed with a thud.

He pushed himself up, noting that the effects of the technique had worn off. He glanced around, taking in his surroundings. Who knew the fortress had a basement. It was dimly lit, so it would be difficult to maneuver.

"Happy?" He called out, considering the idea of being pulled out by his winged friend.

* * *

"_How could I have been so stupid_? _He needs to eat fire_!" Lucy groaned, smacking herself on the head.

"_Even as a spirit, I can't do anything for anyone_!" She admonished herself. _Some Fairy Tail mage you are!_

Then, as she racked her brains for a solution, she felt someone place their hands on her shoulder.

"_Don't discount yourself. Your strongest point is your intelligence_. _Work on that. Remember that you're a Fairy Tail mage. Do whatever you think is right_," Gray told her, giving her a reassuring smile.

She studied him, wondering whether to take him seriously. He had even went to the extent of quoting Master. Then, she decided. She replied with a smirk.

"… Cute couple," Happy snickered.

"_Shut up, you stupid cat!_" Gray roared, taking it out on him.

… _That's it. I got it._

* * *

"HAPPY!" Natsu howled, growing increasingly worried for him.

He had already lost so many of his comrades to Zero… _No more._

Zero hopped down, joining him in the basement. "What did you do to Happy?"

His question was ignored; instead, Zero taunted him, "Dragon Slayer? Pathetic. Is that all this Lost Magic is capable of?"

Natsu roared. "_Crimson Lotus: Exploding Flame Blade_!"

From his flaming arms extended two long streams of fire, spiraling out from him. The fire streams' impact caused explosions, which rang in his ears. Considering the amount of destruction the typical Fairy Tail mage made, the ringing definitely was nothing to speak of.

The rest of the ceiling above them collapsed. Natsu dodged as quickly as he could, barely scraping through a couple of the falling debris. He coughed as dust flew up from all around him.

_This… This should be enough._ He decided. _… I'm hungry._

"NATSU!"

"… Happy?" Natsu asked, surprised.

"NATSUUUU!" Happy cried out, slamming into him, knocking him down.

Natsu smiled, "Where were you?"

"Talking to them," Happy grinned, gesturing to something behind him.

Natsu knitted his eyebrows together. "Who?"

Shock registered on his face as two figures stepped out from the hazy surroundings. A familiar blonde that tied a portion of her hair to a single bunch on the right. A warm smile from her was all it took for him to recognize her. Tears welled up in his eyes.

"LUCY!" He grinned. "I knew it! You're not dead!"

Lucy dropped her smile, replacing it with a half-hearted one. "Natsu… I'm really dead."

"T-Then…"

"I'm a spirit now. Gray and I… We know you can't face Zero alone."

_Gray…_ Natsu looked to Lucy's left, catching a glimpse of his smirk.

"_He's not defeated just yet, Fire-brain._"

Lucy squatted down next to Natsu, she held out a palm, revealing a blue flame encased in ice.

"_Both of us don't know any Fire Magic, so this was the best we could come up with. Happy was the one to do the Ice Make so it probably won't hold for very long,"_ Lucy said before Natsu could ask, "_It's actually Eternano, we concentrated it in the ice so that its pressure would become higher that usual. We'll increase the number of particles and the ice will shrink further, increasing the pressure even more. But we want to talk to you before doing so_."

Natsu took in the information, examining the blue flame. It reminded him of the Etherion he had eaten when he had fought with Jellal… His stomach churned just thinking about it.

"_Natsu…_" Lucy murmured before hugging him. "_Survive, please. For us. No, for everyone in Fairy Tail._"

"_Yeah_," Gray added. "_Don't go dying on me, Fire-brain._"

"_After we feed this with all the Eternano we have gathered thus far, we'll disappear. Don't get distracted, alright_?"

A crazed laughter was heard from behind Gray. Zero was awakening again.

Before Natsu could say more, the flame had been dropped into his mouth.

"Hurk!" He managed as he forced it down his throat. _Come on, swallow! Accept it…!_

_ACCEPT IT!_

* * *

"Thanks for the meal…" He muttered as he wiped his mouth.

The concentration of Eternano welled up inside of him. He took a stance as power washed over him. Zero picked himself up and stood before him, grinning.

"Seems like something happened during that short interval… Interesting. Just like that ice mage."

"I can win you." Natsu repeated, "I can win you with this power."

"Come then, Dragon Slayer."

With that, the two of them charged at each other. Natsu gave it everything he got. The increase in power heightened his senses. He dodged more easily and quickly now.

But it wasn't enough.

"Looks like you can't fully access your power!" Zero yelled, handing him a left hook.

The impact caused Natsu to travel through the air, colliding with the wall.

"Is that all you got? How disappointing. But I am the Master of Oración Seis. Not any ordinary soldier from some guild can defeat me."

"You're crap, Fairy Tail mage. Just like your friends. Crap like you… Can never defeat me on your own."

Natsu stood up immediately after hearing that last statement. He glowered at Zero. "That's where you're wrong. I'm not alone. I can feel it. I can feel all of my friends' feelings and their support… "

Natsu could nearly feel the Eternano in him accelerate, power burning through him.

"I can feel it within me!" He roared, "MY FRIENDS' POWER!"

Natsu launched himself towards Zero, his fire boosting him in speed.

"Disappear under the name of Zero! _Genesis Zero_!"

Natsu felt himself become overwhelmed by the black phantoms that circled around him. _No…_

"_Good thinking, Lucy_. _I knew you could do it._"

"_Someone had to think of a way to counter that abomination of a magic…_" Lucy replied Gray sheepishly. "_I honestly didn't think it would work. Spirits aren't supposed to be able to use magic._"

"You two…" Natsu breathed, watching glowing, faint forms of Lucy and Gray push the black phantoms back. They appeared differently from how he saw them earlier: Gray looked like a humanoid block of ice while-

"_Lucy told you not to get distracted, idiot_!" Gray yelled as he grabbed Natsu by the arm, Lucy taking the other.

"_Now go!_" The two shouted as they boosted him towards Zero.

"YAAAAARGH!" Natsu bellowed as he engulfed himself in the blue flame his friends had granted him.

"_Hidden Fire Form! Crimson Lotus: Phoenix Blade!_"

* * *

"… _From the time I found out he was a Fairy Tail mage…_ _I somehow knew that I couldn't match up to him,_" Lucy murmured as she stared at the bed-stricken Natsu.

Gray scowled. "_In terms of recklessness, it would seem that no one would _ever _match up to him_."

She chuckled in response before Gray took the chance to steer the topic away from Natsu. "_So… That time you decided to transfer some magic power to me…_"

She stopped laughing.

"_Don't think too much about it! I-I had no idea how to transfer the Eternano so I just-"_

"_Decided to kiss me."_

"_Shut up! I'm sorry, okay_?" She yelled at him, blushing furiously as she did so.

He was silent for a moment before grining, "_Was that your first kiss?_"

Lucy reacted by denying it furiously, rambling on about how she had dozens of boyfriends before. Gray had to admit, she was more than just "pretty damn cute" when she was flustered.

"Can you two lovebirds keep it down? Natsu's trying to sleep," Happy waltzed into the room, carrying a bucket of water.

It was Happy's turn to bear the brunt of Lucy's agitation. "_We're not lovebirds!_"

Noting that Happy was carelessly spilling the contents of the bucket on the floor, Lucy motioned forwards to help the cat. Gray stopped her by grabbing her wrist, shaking his head. She hesitated for a while, looking at Happy before nodding. After using up so much Eternano in a single day, Mrs Heartfilia had advised them to use as little as possible, to allow Earthland to restore the balance of magic particles. With the little amount of Eternano the two had, they could only be vaguely seen by Happy.

Lucy always ended up sniveling when she was reminded that they were already dead in the worst possible way: phasing through things.

Despite being less accustomed to living as a spirit, Gray had to be the one to help the two lead fairly normal lives. Lucy still blamed herself for his death - just like how he had for her death - despite his insistence that he hadn't minded it all that much.

In the end, although it was different from how he had expected it to be, he kept his promise to her.

* * *

Gray stared at the girl who had concealed herself in the small spot at the edge of the cliff. He scratched his head, puzzled. How was no one able to find her?

He stared at the pouring sky and sighed as the drops of rain fell straight through him.

He felt a push on his back. He turned to face Lucy.

"_Go on. She needs to know,_" She urged, gesturing to the crouched figure, transferring her Eternano to him.

He nodded and plodded over to her. He peered over at her, trying to find her eyes underneath her limp blue hair. He placed a tentative hand on her arm. Juvia continued sobbing, murmuring his name over and over…

"_Juvia,_" He said firmly.

The sobbing stopped for a moment. "G-Gray-sama?"

He nodded. "_It's me._"

"Juvia knew it!" She beamed, wiping her tears. "Juvia knew you wouldn't die so easily!"

The rain seemed to lighten a little. He looked uncomfortable as he sat down next to her. "_… I am dead. I'm appearing before you as a spirit._"

"Don't go pulling Juvia's leg…"

"_I'm not joking. Juvia, I'm sorry_," He stated clearly, knowing full well that the girl had feelings for him.

Her expression seemed to change, almost like how it did when he first met her and she mistook the meaning of his words. _Heh._

"T-The rain…" She murmured, huddling her legs together. "Can't seem to stop…"

Gray opened his mouth to reply, then thought better of it. She had to move on and find someone else. He was glad he was able to pull her out of solitude then, but now, she will have to find it herself, with the help of Fairy Tail.

_The rain will stop one day, Juvia. I just hope it comes sooner than you think._

* * *

"You done? You done?" Natsu asked enthusiastically.

"_Shh! Don't rush me!_" Lucy snapped, her once-legible handwriting quickly turning into a scrawl.

Then, suddenly, she stopped. She stared at her manuscript with a look of satisfaction.

"_I'm done!_" She declared, beaming proudly and waving the papers around.

"Let me read it!" Natsu said, snatching the documents from her hands.

She stared at him, scandalized as he read it out aloud to everyone in Fairy Tail. She groaned, covering her ears, cheeks reddening. She looked towards Erza, who gave her a firm smile, her red hair flowing dramatically behind her.

"Good job, Lucy," She said tenderly as she forced Lucy's face to collide into her breastplate.

Thank goodness spirits don't take damage as easily…

"Come here, Gray," Erza beckoned the raven-haired man.

He took a few steps back, thinking of an escape route. "_I-I'll pass…_"

* * *

"Lucy!" Natsu whined. "I have a complaint!"

Lucy peered from behind, trying to hide her face from the crowd. "I'm only half as awesome as I really was out there!"

"Aye!" Happy chirped.

She sighed, "_Yeah, whatever. I'm still in the midst of writing and everything. Now hand it back…_"

"No," Levy said cheerfully. "I think it was lovely."

Mirajane beamed as she agreed with Levy.

"Yeah, Lucy, you'll make a great author!" Her friends cheered. "I enjoyed it!"

"_You guys…_" She murmured.

"_Still think you can't make a difference_?" Gray appeared behind her, smirking.

Lucy shook her head, grinning. "_I know what I can do now…"_

"_Everyone!_" She turned to her comrades. "_Let me be the one to pen down the many adventures of Fairy Tail_! _As much as I hope I won't see that day… Let me the one to pen down the Grand Finale!_"

"YEAH!"

* * *

_A/N: And that's it! This is my interpretation of some concepts in Fairy Tail, haha. Like how Mavis was able to appear before Fairy Tail members and all... :/ Hope Lucy's plan wasn't too farfetched and all. o_o __I hope the characters aren't too OOC and all. :S _Please do review! :D  
_Here's the link to the video: watch?v=tXZlzUD7bVg (NaLuGray - New Hope)  
Please do check it out, the video's really good. :)_  
_Thanks for reading! :D_


End file.
